


The Star Chart

by Bwg71



Category: Homeland
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Friendship, Hope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-20
Updated: 2017-01-20
Packaged: 2018-09-18 18:26:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9397532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bwg71/pseuds/Bwg71
Summary: My other fic Star Musings got me thinking about this little scenario. But I thought it should be kept separate, as is is quite a different feel....I hope you enjoy...Another silly snippet, really.





	

After the first time Frannie invited Quinn upstairs for hot chocolate and cookies, Carrie and Quinn's relations thawed a little. Perhaps not coincidentally, he had also somewhat cleaned up his act. Well, at least with regard to the illicit substances and the visits to Clarice and Co, though sadly not so much with his personal ablutions.

Nonetheless Carrie can sleep just a little better at night, and worries about him just a little less. It was a tenuous peace. But it was a start.

 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

A few weeks later a small emergency at work takes Carrie out for the evening. The nanny is busy that night and unable to return to take care of her small charge, so Carrie steels herself, knocks loudly on the door that separates their day to day lives, and asks Quinn to stay with Frannie for a few hours.

"She's fed and ready for bed; she just needs someone to watch her. She's happy drawing and looking at picture books... So you don't really have to do anything but sit with her, and make sure she goes to bed at eight."

"Uhh, I don't think so Carrie. I don't think I'm the right person to look after a...."

But something stops him. 

_...the hardest person in the world to say no to..._

Why does that sound so familiar?

 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

An hour later, Quinn's happy to admit to himself that despite his apprehensiveness Frannie is surprisingly easy to look after... Though she talks. A lot. Strangely enough, he finds he likes it. He realises later that it means he doesn't have to do much talking himself.

Twenty to eight comes and he reminds her that bedtime is approaching. Without his prompting, Frannie carefully packs away her pencils, books, and all the other toys she had brought out to show him. She then follows Quinn to the kitchen where he has carefully prepared her some warm milk.

Instead of sitting down to drink, Frannie goes over to the fridge and points above. "Mister Peter, please could you open the cupboard up there?"

"Sure Frannie, what do you want?"

"There's a yellow box with star stickers, and I need you to stick one on my chart."

"Huh?

"Stars. For my chart." She tells him, as if it should be patently obvious. But Quinn is none the wiser.

"I don't know what you mean, Frannie."

While she sips her milk Frannie explains the star chart system: The one that is well known to all 4 year olds and their parents,  
but is totally news to Quinn. She finishes. "So because I packed up all my toys tonight, I get a star for that, and I get another one because I ate all my dinner, including the broccoli... Yuk"

"I hate broccoli too, kiddo." 

"When I fill up the chart, I'll get a special reward. Here." Frannie passes Quinn two star stickers. He returns to the fridge and places a star on Wednesday's "Pack Away My Toys", and another on "Eat All My Dinner". He also sees "Brush My Teeth", "Say Please And Thank You" and "Brush My Hair."

Then he notices a second, homemade chart with "Mommy" written across the top. Quinn reads a couple of the entries on that chart: "No Coffee After 3pm", and "Do Not Swear". The first has lots of stars, the second - not so many. 

Frannie notices him looking at Carrie's chart (4 year olds don't miss much) and tells him "That's Mommies. I decorated it for her, do you like it?" 

He sees the third entry and swallows. "Yes. Very Much." 

_Don't Give Up._

Chirpy chatter from Frannie interrupts his thoughts. "Did you have a star chart when you were a little boy, Mister Peter?" She asks with a smile. 

"No Frannie, I don't think I did."

"Never Mind. We can make you one now. It's easy-peasy."

Before Quinn can stop her, Frannie skips to the living room and reappears with some drawing paper and a fairy cup full of pencils. She sits back down at the table and carefully draws  
sets of horizontal and vertical lines. She asks Quinn to spell out "Mister Peter", and remind her of the letters for the days of the week.

She hands a glittery pink pencil to Quinn and instructs him "I don't know how to write big words yet, it's probably easier if you write the next part."

_I wouldn't be so sure of that._

"Sure Frannie, but maybe you could help me by holding the paper still. And making some suggestions. I don't know what things I should be writing."

"OK. How about 'Make My Bed'? I have that one."

He writes, slowly, shakily. "Got it."

"And you could do 'Eat An Apple Every Day'. That keeps the doctor away. Did you know that Mister Peter?"

"I think I'd forgotten about that. Good idea."

_If I never have to see another doctor again it will be too soon._

Giggling, with a cheeky look in her eyes: "You need 'Eat All My Broccoli' too."

"Well, that's a good list Frannie."

She studies him closely for a few moments, then tells him matter of factly: "No. One more.You really need 'Wash and Comb My Hair.'" Then, with a small smile: "It looks like you wouldn't have many stars for that one." 

Poor Quinn is left speechless at that. It's funny how direct and honest children can be, he thinks. No malice. But also no qualms about saying just exactly what they see. It's innocent, though maybe just a little close to the bone.

They work together in silence for a few minutes more, until Frannie is satisfied with the contents of the chart, and is ready to brush her teeth. She sticks the chart to the fridge by her mothers, and says "I'll decorate it for you tomorrow, so you can have a pretty chart too. What's your favourite colour? And your favourite animal? I like puppies, do you?"

 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

Carrie arrives home about an hour later and thanks Quinn for helping her out before disappearing to get changed for bed. He calls out a "g'night", and descends the stairs back to his apartment, with a little gift from Frannie tucked under his good arm. 

Carrie returns to the kitchen for a cool drink, and as she opens the fridge door spies the new paper stuck to its front. She stifles a laugh at first, but then smiles to herself as she reads the contents of the new star chart, and especially it's last entry.

"Wash and Comb My Hair."

 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

Before she retreats to her bed for the night Carrie hears an odd sound, and it takes a few moments to realise what it is. It's the downstairs shower. She goes to the fridge and places an extra large star sticker on the third entry of her chart. 

_Don't Give Up._

Downstairs, after a few minutes, Quinn steps apprehensively under the warm, purifying water. He takes the pink mermaid shaped bottle of child's shampoo into his shaky hand, flicks it open and squeezes some of the sweet floral scented liquid into his hair. He lets the childish scent keep him here, in this time and this place, and focuses his mind on Frannie's serious gaze as she told him earlier "I used to hate having my hair washed too, until Mommy found this one. It doesn't sting when it gets in my eyes. So you don't need to be afraid to wash your hair anymore, either." 

 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

The next evening Frannie knocks on the door that links their apartments and calls out "Mister Peter, Mister Peter, please come up for warm milk and stars with me and Mommy." Quinn climbs the stairs, answers her questions and then watches as Frannie adds his five (count them! five!) stars to his chart.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy.
> 
> And thankyou to Koala for her kind encouragement and proof reading :) it's very much appreciated


End file.
